Joni Mitchell / Love Has Many Faces

I have just received my vinyl copy of this release it’s absolutely wonderfully presented , it’s gorgeous to look at ,and well worth the pre order price as alerted on here earlier this week – limited to 5000 mine is 1600

I am intrigued by Joni’s music. I play a synthesized sax made by Casio in the 1980s and got so absorbed by her sound that for the four months I have written or scribed many of her songs in midi format so I can play along after muting the melody staff. The sound is amazing – if anyone would want some of them, just e-mail me ( look up Marin Mikelberg on the net and you should find me.

Well, – most of these kind of records are made to get money in the house.
And i’m sure Joni is going to need loads of money. I have read that she was one of the many millions, who catch’ed the polio disease in the 1940-50. And usualy musicans don’t have good pensions, if any. And the if you got the polio, its coming back to hunt you. There’s a medicine Ivig or immunegammaglobulin, which is pretty expensive in use, for some several 100K on a yearly base. That is if you want to have some kind life you could call a life. I know, but i live in Denmark, its still a problem, but not like in the U.S.A. And i love Joni’s music, always have, so i’m going to buy it when available here ;-)

The reason she curates her music is that it is sometimes difficult to assimilate so much brilliance especially as so many people harp on continually about Blue and Court and Spark

Special times, travels, experiences – enhanced and pinned in memory by Joni’s incisive poetry and musical images over a life time.

Some comments suggest a grudge of sorts, a creativity debt – like the book of the month club let you down lately.

The view back, ahead, and inside, all are vividly better for her gifts. With Joni now approaching seventy something, we are the ones left owing.

You lot are harsh! I’d give he up to (a couple of good songs on) Mingus. But then she married Larry Klein and it all went downhill very fast. And so many compilations – at least Elvis Costello has the excuse that his old record company are to blame

I have most JM titles and consider her last great work to be Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter although some of output since then has been very worthwhile. This 4CD compilation doesn’t do it for me though despite the nice packaging. I’ll save my money and look to fill the few gaps in the collection instead.

i arrived to the JM music banquette a little late – the late 80’s and although i was keenly aware of her popular songs and catalog from having been working in independent music shops since the age of 18, i’d not really taken the time to explore her work. the first release of hers that i listened to from beginning to end was “chalk mark in a rainstorm” which caught my attention with it’s cameo guest vocal by Peter Gabriel. i thought the album was quite good (an opinion which i think now overrated that release). but it wasn’t until the followup of “night ride home” that i believe JM hit her zenith. and yes, i’m sure most would disagree, favoring earlier and critically acclaimed collections. still, “night ride home” to this day thrills me in a way that no other JM recordings have – mature, sensible, sophisticated, poignant, and with a voice and musicianship that crafted what i respectfully believe to be her best work.

Her creative juices completely dried up after the release of Hejira with the exception of only two songs, Man From Mars and Moon At the Window. This latest release looks more like a cash grab to keep the old girl in cigarette money.

thanks ALan for the heads up on Man From Mars. ABsoluteley beautiful.
New life to the song. I didn’t like the midi orchestration choices on taming tiger album or SHine but this featuring piano and an acoustic production really does shine. Wishing that Joni has recorded all those tracks like this. thanks again

Well, it’s Joni and it’s supposedly going to be all remastered. So I’ll be getting it eventually but at this price? I’ll wait til the price goes down a bit.

Her fourth compilation album in the last 10 years.

The word is she’s demanding more than her record company’s willing to pay, with regard to deluxe editions of her albums, and such like.

Joni Mitchell is yet another performer who is ridiculously restrictive with archival material. What a meaningless re-package. I won’t be buying it.

at first glance and perhaps to the uninitiated, this set might seem intriguing.
however, on second glance, it strikes me as a missed opportunity to showcase even one rarity.
what comes to mind is the original version of “man from mars” actually performed by JM
on the original version of the Grace Of My Heart OST – having been miscredited to Kristen Vangard,
appearing only on the pre-release promo and/or first pressing of the discs,
recalled by the MCA label days prior to the release date, then replaced WITH the actual Kristen Vangard version for official release.
i am fortunate to have been working in a music shop at that time,
and i respectfully did NOT return my copy of the disc.
if you are not familiar with the melancholy and languid beauty of this original version,
it is only more than worth your time and effort to search it out.